by Adrian Alexander
Cameron University Student Brian Phillips, stage name BP, released his mixtape Covers on Sept. 30.
Phillips said that Covers is different and that the mixtape represents his ability to showcase his growth as an artist and inspire people with his talents. The primary incentive behind his music is to help people with their life struggles.
“Covers is real, inspiring and different,” Phillips said. “I do not think it will be the average mixtape.”
Phillips feels that the mixtape exemplifies his versatility as an artist.
According to Phillips, the project has the potential to appeal to a wide diversity of people and cultures regardless if one is strictly into a particular genre of music. He said that he has a few collaborations with local artists, including Jacobi Isham from the Hunnid Boyz, but he did not want to have a lot of featured musicians on this project.
Come Back for Me is one of 18 songs coming from the mixtape. Phillips shares that Deanna Dorta is featured on the soothing song and that this is his favorite track from Covers because it could potentially help people when they are feeling lost.
‘Come Back for Me’ is about asking out for God when feeling lost,” Phillips said.
It is no secret that Phillips is a Christian in his everyday life.
According to Phillips the project will not be Christian; however, religious ideas and beliefs will be present throughout some of the lyrical content. Phillips said it is hard to keep the mixtape exclusively clean cut and Christian-based.
Phillips is currently an un-signed artist and believes he must play along with the industry while maintaining his own values and beliefs to further his career.
“With the industry you have to learn how to confuse them while playing their own game,” Phillips said. “There will be profanity on the mixtape.”
The CU musician was inspired to drop his mixtape on Sep. 30 because famous recording artist J Cole is releasing his album in the same week. J Cole is one of the few artists that inspires and reminds Phillips to work hard at his craft.
“I am releasing the mixtape on Sept. 30 because it is a personal reminder to work hard,” Phillips said.
Phillips said it was not difficult to come up with the title of the mixtape and it came to him relatively easy.
“I came up with the title Covers because the songs on the mixtape are songs that most people have already covered,” Phillips said.
Phillips name and music is growing more popular day by day. He was able to get DJ Messiah, a New York Dj, to host this mixtape.
Covers is highly anticipated by some people and can be easily accessed online free of charge. The project will be released digitally for listener’s convenience and can be downloaded from various popular music websites including DatPiff.com and LiveMixtapes.com.